Pivoted cutter and control for hydraulic dredge

ABSTRACT

On the outboard end of a hydraulic dredge ladder there is an axially extending stub shaft mounted in spaced-apart bearings. Attached to the outer end of the ladder is a circular bearing member that extends transversely to and coaxial about the stub shaft. A cutter member formed of heavy sheet metal material in a circular arc a little greater than a semicircle is welded at its ends to a circular channel iron ring that is received over the circular bearing member for pivotal movement thereon. The inner midportion of the semicircularlike cutter head has a bearing member affixed thereto that is received over the protruding end of the stub shaft. A triangularlike bracket is received over the stub shaft towards its rear end and is welded thereto. the base of the triangularlike bracket is up and above the stub shaft and has a pivotal mounting at each end that carries a sheave. Below each end of the bracket there is a cutaway portion that forms stop portions which strike against stops on the side I-beams of the boom positioned therebelow to limit the tilt of the shaft and the cutter. The usual hauling wire ropes lead from a hauling drum through their respective sheaves to respective anchor position out beyond the side of the boom. By slackening on one rope and hauling on the other with the cutter in the earth, its edges cut into the earth and it tilts so as to loosen the earth that is then sucked up by the mouth of the suction tube.

United States Patent [72] Inventor Thomas J. Smith, deceased late of Stratford, Conn. (by James E. Smith, adminktrator, 1500 Elm St., Stratiord, Conn., 06497) [21] App]. No. 4,334 [22] Filed Jan. 20, 1970 [45] Patented Aug. 24, 1971 [54] PIVOTED CUTTER AND CONTROL FOR HYDRAULIC DREDGlE 12 Claims, 4 Drawing Figs.

[52] US. Cl 37/58, 37/71 [51] Int. Cl 1502f 3/92 [50] Field of Search 37/67, 58, 71

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 133,022 11/1872 Campbell et al 37/58 548,242 10/1895 Wood et a1. 37/58 927,690 7/1909 Singleton 37/58 1,759,490 5/1930 Neveling 37/67 3,094,795 6/1963 Schmidt 37/67 Primary Examiner- Robert E. Pulfrey Assistant Examiner-Clifford D. Crowder Attorney-Beale and Jones ABSTRACT: On the outboard end of a hydraulic dredge ladder there is an axially extending stub shaft mounted in spaced-apart bearings. Attached to the outer end of the ladder is a circular bearing member that extends transversely to and coaxial about the stub shaft. A cutter member formed of heavy sheet metal material in a circular arc a little greater'than a semicircle is welded at its ends to a circular channel iron ring that is received over the circular bearing member for pivotal movement thereon. The inner midportion of the semicircularlike cutter head has a bearing member affixed thereto that is received over the protruding end of the stub shaft. A triangularlike bracket is received over the stub shaft towards its rear end and is welded thereto. The base of the triangularlike bracket is up and above the stub shaft and has a pivotal mounting at each end that carries a sheave. Below each end of the bracket there is a cutaway portion that forms stop portions which strike against stops on the side I-beams of the boom positioned therebelow to limit the tilt of the shaft and the cutter. The usual hauling wire ropes lead from a hauling drum through their respective sheaves to respective anchor position out beyond the side of the boom. By slackening on one rope and hauling on the other with the cutter in the earth, its edges cut into the earth and it tilts so as to loosen the earth that is then sucked up by the mouth of the suction tube.

PATENTEU M1824 15m CUTTING ANGLE INVENTOR THOMAS J SMITH/ B Y JAMES E SM/T/{ADM/N/STRATOR TTOR/VEYS PIVOTED CU'I'IER AND CONTROL FOR HYDRAULIC DREDGE This invention is directed to a pivoted mounted cutterhead and its pivotal control in the outer end of a hydraulic dredge ladder.

It is an object of the invention to make use of a portion of the hauling force in the sidewise swinging of the hydraulic dredge ladder for pivoting a cutterhead mounted thereon.

Another object of the invention is to provide a semicircularlike cutterhead with a stub shaft mounting and pivotal limiting stop means therefor on the end of a hydraulic dredge ladder.

A further object of the invention is to provide a hydraulic dredge ladder with a circular bearing member at its outer end that extends transversely to the longitudinal axis of the ladder and has pivotally mounted thereon a cutterhead having control mechanism for pivoting the cutterhead to a limited extent in either direction.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a tiltable cutter member at the end of a hydraulic dredge ladder at the open end of the suction tube for loosening dirt for pickup and removal by the suction tube.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent upon reading the attached detailed description, and upon reference to the drawings, in which;

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the outer end of a hydraulic dredge ladder with the outer head and its control mechanism;

FIG. 2 is a front elevational view of the mechanism of FIG.

FIG. 3 is a side elevational view of the cutterhead in FIG. 1, but having the end of the dredge ladder, its suction tube and the stub shaft for the cutterhead broken away; and

FIG. 4 is a top plan view of this cutterhead and mechanism of FIG. 3.

Throughout the description, like reference numbers refer to similar parts.

A hydraulic dredge ladder or boom and cutterhead according to the invention is generally indicated at 10. The ladder has the usual rightand left-side I-beams 11 and 12 and a suction tube 13 positioned intermediate and below the I-beams.

Transverse members such as 14 at the outer end connect the I-beams of the ladder. Supported by this forward transverse member 14 is an axially extending bearing 15 that receives a cutterhead stub shaft 16 which protrudes forward a distance beyond the ends of the l-beams 11 and 12. A pair of collars 160 on shaft 16 at each end of bearing 15 holds the stub shaft in its axial position in the bearing. A transversely extending ring 17 is attached as by welding to the outer ends of the I-beams 11 and 12. This ring 17 has an axially extending peripheral outer surface 170 that serves as a bearing or journal surface for a cutter head generally indicated at 18.

The cutter head 18 has a cutter portion 19 bent up from a rectangular shaped piece of heavy sheet metal stock into a portion of a circle that is greater than a semicircle. The shape of the cutter portion 19 is of a greater than one-half portion of a cylinder. The cutter portion 19 has its smaller dimension ends 19a and 19b attached to a ring bearing member 20 received on the bearing member 17. Ring bearing member 20 has a peripheral flange 20a and a radially extending flange 20b to which the ends 19a and 19b of cutter member 19 are attached as by welding.

A hearing member 21 which receives the outer end of stub shaft 16 is attached to the inner middle surface of cutter 19 and is further supported by attached support fairings 22.

The stub shaft 16 and the cutterhead are pivoted from side to side to position the cutter so as to cut into the ground, see FIG. 2, by control mechanism to be described.

The opposite cutter edges 19c and 19d at the lower portion of cutter 19 dig into the ground as the ladder is swung to a selected side. The ground forms an abutment and the cutterhead tends to pivot about its pivot or stub shaft 16 and dig into the soil to loosen it. On the stub shaft 16 there is attached, as by welding, a transversely extending bracket generally indicated at 23 positioned inboard from the support 14 and bearing 15.

The upper portion 23a of bracket 23 is rectangular shaped and lengthwise generally horizontally disposed while the integral bottom portion 23b is triangular in shape with the apex extending downward and the base of the triangular portion shorter than the contiguous horizontal length of the rectangular portion 23a. By this configuration there is left adjacent the triangular portion generally horizontally disposed stop surfaces 23e on the underneath protruding ends of the rectangular portion 23a. These stop surfaces 232 strike against respective stop buttons 11a and 12a attached to the upper flange of the respective I-beams. The apex portion of the bracket 23 has an aperture 230 extending therethrough and it receives therein the stub shaft 16 which is fixedly attached as by welding. The upper and outer corners of the bracket 23 have apertures 23d extending therethrough for pivotal attachment of sheave brackets 24 as by pivot pins 24a. Each bracket 24 has a bifurcated potion that receives a sheave therebetween which is secured by a pivot pin 25a.

A right wire-hauling rope 26 leads from a side anchor, not shown, around the right sheave 25 and to a hauling drum. Likewise there is a left wire-hauling rope 27 leading from a left anchor (not shown), around the left sheave 25 and to a hauling drum.

As shown in FIG. 2, the right wire-hauling rope 26 is slack and the left wire-hauling rope 27 is taught as its hauling drum is placing a strain on the rope as the cutter digs into the ground. There is created a force that urges the dredge ladder 10 towards the left as viewed from the dredge. The cutter edge 19c digs into the ground G as the cutterhead bracket 23 on which the rope 27 pulls is pivoted to a position where the stop abutment surface 23c on the bracket is up against the stop button 12a on the I-beam 12. The same action takes place in the opposite direction when rope 27 is made slack and a hauling force sets the right rope 26 taught and bracket 23 is pivoted up against stop button as the cutter digs into and loosens the earth.

What is claimed is:

1. A hydraulic dredge cutter head and control comprising, in combination,

a dredge ladder having generally longitudinally axially extending side portions and a suction tube having a suction opening adjacent the outer end of the ladder,

a circular bearing member extending transversely to the longitudinal axis of the ladder and attached to its outer end with the suction tube suction end opening adjacently thereto,

a stub shaft extending axially on and mounted on the ladder and extending through and outward of the circular bearing member,

a cutterhead having a semicircularlike cutter shaped as a part of a cylinder whose longitudinal axis extends generally transverse to the longitudinal axis of the stub shaft and a ring-shaped bearing member secured to the ends of said semicircularlike cutter, said ring-shaped bearing member being received on said circular bearing member on the end of said ladder, said semicircularlike cutter having a bearing member attached on its inner middle surface and receiving the outer end of the stub shaft,

a control bracket member extending transversely to and attached to said stub shaft at a position spaced in from said cutterhead, said bracket member having portions extending adjacent to and for abutment against said side portions of the ladder to limit the pivotal movement from side to side of said bracket and its attached stub shaft and cutterhead,

sheave means pivotally attached to each end of said transversely extending control bracket member, each sheave means being adapted to receive therethrough a hauling rope for the dredge ladder, whereby a pull on a hauling rope pulls the ladder to one side and pivots and holds said cutterhead pivoted downwardly in the same direction of pull on said hauling rope, said pivotal movement of the cutter head being limited by said control bracket striking said side portion of the ladder.

2. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said control bracket member has said portions extending for abutment against said side portions of the ladder extending above said portions for pivotal movement downward into its abutment therewith to limit its pivotal movement.

3. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said dredge ladder has an axially extending bearing mounted at its outer end at the center of said circular bearing member for pivotally mounting an outer end portion of the stub shaft and including means adjacent said bearing and in engagement with the stub shaft for limiting the axial movement of said stub shaft.

4. Apparatus according to claim I wherein said suction tube suction end is positioned within the lower half of said circular bearing member.

5. In a hydraulic dredge ladder having generally longitudinally extending side portions and a suction tube having a suction opening adjacent the outer end of the ladder, an improved cutterhead and control comprising,

a circular bearing member extending transversely to the axis of the ladder and adapted for attachment to its outer end adjacent the suction tube opening,

a stub shaft extending axially and having mounting means for. mounting it on the ladder so as to extend through and outward of the circular bearing member,

a cutterhead having a semicircularlike cutter shaped as a part of a cylinder whose longitudinal axis extends generally transverse to the longitudinal axis of the stub shaft and a ring-shaped bearing member secured to the ends of said semicircularlike cutter, said ring-shaped cutter having a bearing member attached on its inner middle surface and receiving the outward end of the stub shaft,

a control bracket member extending transversely to and attached to said stub shaft at a position spaced in from said cutterhead, said bracket member having portions extending adjacent to and for abutment against said side portions of the ladder to limit the pivotal movement from side to side of said bracket and its attached stub shaft and cutterhead,

sheave means pivotally attached to each end of said transversely extending control bracket member, each sheave means being adapted to.receive therethrough a hauling rope for the dredge ladder, whereby a pull on a hauling rope pulls the ladder to one side and pivots and holds said cutterhead pivoted downwardly in the same direction of pull on said hauling rope, said pivotal movement of the cutterhead being limited by said control bracket striking said side portion of the ladder.

6. Apparatus according to claim 5, wherein said control bracket member has said portions extending for abutment against said side portions of the ladder extending above said portions for pivotal movement downward into its abutment therewith to limit its pivotal movement.

7. Apparatus according to claim 5, wherein said dredge ladder has an axially extending bearing mounted at its outer end at the center of said circular bearing member for pivotally mounting an outer end portion of the stub shaft and including means adjacent said bearing and in engagement with the stub shaft for limiting the axial movement of said stub shaft.

. 8; Apparatus according to claim 5, wherein said suction end is positioned within the lower half of said circular bearing member.

9. Apparatus according to claim 6, wherein said dredge ladder has an axially extending bearing mounted at its outer end at the center of said circular bearing member for pivotally mounting an outer end portion of the stub shaft and including 10. Apparatus according to claim 9, wherein said suction tube suction end is positioned within the lower half of said circular bearing member.

11. A hydraulic dredge cutterhead and control comprising,

in combination, a dredge ladder having generally axially extending side portions and a suction tube having a suction opening adjacent the outer end of the ladder,

a circular bearing member extending transversely to the longitudinal axis of the ladder at its outer end and attached to said side portions with the suction tube opening adjacently within the lower portion thereof,

a stub shaft extending axially on and pivotally mounted on the ladder and extending through and beyond the center of said circular bearing member,

a cutterhead having a semicircularlike cutter shaped as a part of a cylinder whose longitudinal axis extends generally transverse to the longitudinal axis of said stub shaft and a ring-shaped bearing member attached to the ends of said semicircularlike cutter having a bearing member attached on its inner surface and receiving the outer end of said stub shaft,

a bracket member extending transversely to and attached to said stub shaft, said bracket member having portions extending above said side portions of said dredge ladder whereby pivotal movement to either side is limited by striking said side portions, and

sheave means pivotally attached to each end of said bracket member, each sheave means adapted to receive therethrough a hauling rope for the dredge ladder, whereby a pull on a hauling rope pulls the ladder to one side and pivots and holds said cutterhead pivoted downwardly in the same direction of pull on said hauling rope.

12. In a hydraulic dredge ladder having generally longitudinally extending side portions and a suction tube having a suction opening adjacent the outer end of the ladder, an improved cutterhead and control comprising,

a stub shaft extending axially of the dredge ladder and having mounting means for mounting it on the ladder so that its outer end portion extends a relatively short distance beyond the outer end of the ladder,

a cutterhead having a body portion with oppositely disposed cutter edges extending generally parallel to the longitudinal axis of the dredge ladder and stub shaft and a cavity spaced in the body in communication with the cutter edges,

means mounting the cutterhead fixedly on the extending end of the stub shaft for limited rotation therewith,

means rotatably mounting the cutterhead on the end of the dredge ladder for simultaneous rotation as the cutter head and stub shaft rotate,

a control bracket member extending transversely to and attached to said stub shaft at a position spaced in from said cutterhead, said bracket member having portions extending adjacent to and for abutment against said side portions of the ladder to limit the pivotal movement from side to side of said bracket and its attached stub shaft and cutterhead,

sheave means pivotally attached to each end of said transversely extending control bracket member, each sheave means being adapted to receive therethrough a hauling rope for the dredge ladder, whereby a pull on a hauling rope pulls the ladder to one side and pivots and holds said cutterhead pivoted downwardly in the same direction of pull on said hauling rope, said pivotal movement of the cutter head being limited by said control bracket striking said side portion of the ladder. 

1. A hydraulic dredge cutter head and control comprising, in combination, a dredge ladder having generally longitudinally axially extending side portions and a suction tube having a suction opening adjacent the outer end of the ladder, a circular bearing member extending transversely to the longitudinal axis of the ladder and attached to its outer end with the suction tube suction end opening adjacently thereto, a stub shaft extending axially on and mounted on the ladder and extending through and outward of the circular bearing member, a cutterhead having a semicircularlike cutter shaped as a part of a cylinder whose longitudinal axis extends generally transverse to the longitudinal axis of the stub shaft and a ring-shaped bearing member secured to the ends of said semicircularlike cutter, said ring-shaped bearing member being received on said circular bearing member on the end of said ladder, said semicircularlike cutter having a bearing member attached on its inner middle surface and receiving the outer end of the stub shaft, a control bracket member extending transversely to and attached to said stub shaft at a position spaced in from said cutterhead, said bracket member having portions extending adjacent to and for abutment against said side portions of the ladder to limit the pivotal movement from side to side of said bracket and its attached stub shaft and cutterhead, sheave means pivotally attached to each end of said transversely extending control bracket member, each sheave means being adapted to receive therethrough a hauling rope for the dredge ladder, whereby a pull on a hauling rope pulls the ladder to one side and pivots and holds said cutterhead pivoted downwardly in the same direction of pull on said hauling rope, said pivotal movement of the cutter head being limited by said control bracket striking said side portion of the ladder.
 2. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said control bracket member has said portions extending for abutment against said side portions of the ladder extending above said portions for pivotal movement downward into its abutment therewith to limit its pivotal movement.
 3. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said dredge ladder has an axially extending bearing mounted at its outer end at the center of said circular bearing member for pivotally mounting an outer end portion of the stub shaft and including means adjacent said bearing and in engagement with the stub shaft for limiting the axial movement of said stub shaft.
 4. Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said suction tube suction end is positioned within the lower half of said circular bearing member.
 5. In a hydraulic dredge ladder having generally longitudinally extending side portions and a suction tube having a suction opening adjacent the outer end of the ladder, an improved cutterhead and control comprising, a circular bearing member extending transversely to the axis of the ladder and adapted for attachment to its outer end adjacent the suction tube opening, a stub shaft extending axially and having mounting means for mounting it on the ladder so as to extend through and outward of the circular bearing member, a cutterhead having a semicircularlike cutter shaped as a part of a cylinder whose longitudinal axis extends generally transverse to the longitudinal axis of the stub shaft and a ring-shaped bearing member secured to the ends of said semicircularlike cutter, said ring-shaped cutter having a bearing member attached on its inner middle surface and receiving the outward end of the stub shaft, a control bracket member extending transversely to and attached to said stub shaft at a position spaced in from said cutterhead, said bracket member having portions extending adjacent to and for abutment against said side portions of the ladder to limit the pivotal movement from side to side of said bracket and its attached stub shaft and cutterhead, sheave means pivotally attached to each end of said transversely extending control bracket member, each sheave means being adapted to receive therethrough a hauling rope for the dredge ladder, whereby a pull on a hauling rope pulls the ladder to one side and pivots and holds said cutterhead pivoted downwardly in the same direction of pull on said hauling rope, said pivotal movement of the cutterhead being limited by said control bracket striking said side portion of the ladder.
 6. Apparatus according to claim 5, wherein said control bracket member has said portions extending for abutment against said side portions of the ladder extending above said portions for pivotal movement downward into its abutment therewith to limit its pivotal movement.
 7. Apparatus according to claim 5, wherein said dredge ladder has an axially extending bearing mounted at its outer end at the center of said circular bearing member for pivotally mounting an outer end portion of the stub shaft and including means adjacent said bearing and in engagement with the stub shaft for limiting the axial movement of said stub shaft.
 8. Apparatus according to claim 5, wherein said suction end is positioned within the lower half of said circular bearing member.
 9. Apparatus according to claim 6, wherein said dredge ladder has an axially extending bearing mounted at its outer end at the center of said circular bearing member for pivotally mounting an outer end portion of the stub shaft and including means adjacent said bearing and in engagement with the stub shaft for limiting the axial movement of said stub shaft.
 10. Apparatus according to claim 9, wherein said suction tube suction end is positioned within the lower half of said circular bearing member.
 11. A hydraulic dredge cutterhead and control comprising, in combination, a dredge ladder having generally axially extending side portions and a suction tube having a suction opening adjacent the outer end of the ladder, a circular bearing member extending transversely to the longitudinal axis of the ladder at its outer end and attached to said side portions with the suction tube opening adjacently within the lower portion thereof, a stub shaft extending axially on and pivotally mounted on the ladder and extending through and beyond the center of said circular bearing member, a cutterhead having a semicircularlike cutter shaped as a part of a cylinder whose longitudinal axis extends generally transverse to the longitudinal axis of said stub shaft and a ring-shaped bearing member attached to the ends of said semicircularlike cutter having a bearing member attached on its inner surface and receiving the outer end of said stub shaft, a bracket member extending transversely to and attached to said stub shaft, said bracket member having portions extending above said side portions of said dredge ladder whereby pivotal movement to either side is limited by striking said side portions, and sheave means pivotally attached to each end of said bracket member, each sheave means adapted to receive therethrough a hauling rope for the dredge ladder, whereby a pull on a hauling rope pulls the ladder to one side and pivots and holds said cutterhead pivoted downwardly in the same direction of pull on said hauling rope.
 12. In a hydraulic dredge ladder having generally longitudinally extending side portions and a suction tube having a suction opening adjacent the outer end of the ladder, an improved cutterhead and control comprising, a stub shaft extending axially of the dredge ladder and having mounting means for mounting it on the ladder so that its outer end portion extends a relatively short distance bEyond the outer end of the ladder, a cutterhead having a body portion with oppositely disposed cutter edges extending generally parallel to the longitudinal axis of the dredge ladder and stub shaft and a cavity spaced in the body in communication with the cutter edges, means mounting the cutterhead fixedly on the extending end of the stub shaft for limited rotation therewith, means rotatably mounting the cutterhead on the end of the dredge ladder for simultaneous rotation as the cutter head and stub shaft rotate, a control bracket member extending transversely to and attached to said stub shaft at a position spaced in from said cutterhead, said bracket member having portions extending adjacent to and for abutment against said side portions of the ladder to limit the pivotal movement from side to side of said bracket and its attached stub shaft and cutterhead, sheave means pivotally attached to each end of said transversely extending control bracket member, each sheave means being adapted to receive therethrough a hauling rope for the dredge ladder, whereby a pull on a hauling rope pulls the ladder to one side and pivots and holds said cutterhead pivoted downwardly in the same direction of pull on said hauling rope, said pivotal movement of the cutter head being limited by said control bracket striking said side portion of the ladder. 